Sunday 1 March 2020

Bay of Islands

We have spent the weekend exploring the beautiful Bay of Islands. Yesterday we were joined on board by friends of James (fellow cyclist of Le Loupe, Tom Zink, and his wife Jolene) who live close by. They appeared to enjoy the day trip on board Tintin and we loved their company. Together we explored Moturua island, where we saw a kiwi having a drink (they are nocturnal birds but the drought here has brought them out in the day to dishes of water put out for them by the Dept of Conservation volunteers). We sailed round a few islands in the afternoon's sea breeze and as we turned a corner we saw a catamaran ahead of us, none other than Cabana, a boat we had sailed with last year and had last seen in Fiji. The evening we spent with Bobbie, George and Troy catching up, eating rock oysters gathered by George in aptly named Paradise Bay.

Over the weekend we have come across 6 other boats that we have previously met along our journey from Salcombe to NZ. Cyclone season in the Pacific islands is November to April so many boats sail down the NZ. Happy reunions!

Today the girls ( Jo and Katherine) explored the lovely old town of Russell while the boys took Tintin up to Opua Marina and did the laundry and shopping. 👍👍

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